


Carmine and Viridine

by SaltinesAndPeanutButter



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: F/F, M/M, theres some pattystar in here if you squint really hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-04-21 17:06:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22097086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaltinesAndPeanutButter/pseuds/SaltinesAndPeanutButter
Summary: After defeating Asura, what's left for Maka Albarn to accomplish? Follow Maka and Crona (and the rest of the main cast, but mostly Maka and Crona) in a series of non serialized chapters as they finish up their time as students at the D.W.M.A., decide what path to take in their lives, and where they eventually end up. Warnings include mentions of past abuse, mentions of unhealthy/dysfunctional family relationships, implied mental health issues, and canon typical violence. Follows the anime continuity for the most part.
Relationships: Death the Kid/Soul Eater Evans, Maka Albarn/Crona, Nakatsukasa Tsubaki/Liz Thompson
Comments: 5
Kudos: 48
Collections: Soul Eater Resonance Bang 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! Before you start reading please read this. This story contains a lot of useless lesbianism. So I want to say that I'm a lesbian and I've drawn from some of my own experiences while writing this. I'm not a non-lesbian perpetuating stereotypes! Thank you.

Maka balanced her smooth tin lunch tray as she walked to the table where she sat every day. 

"Where have you been?" Soul asked. 

"I was getting a study packet from Professor Stein," Maka answered. 

Maka noted her own reflection in the shiny red skin of the apple in the top left corner of her lunch tray. 

"Hey, has anyone seen Crona?" she asked, looking up. 

"I saw them with the N.O.T. Class during first period today," Liz replied. 

"Do you think they could be lost again?" Maka asked. 

"Could be," Liz answered. 

Maka stood up, picking the apple off of her tray. "I'll give it to Crona in case they end up missing lunch!" she thought.

"I'm going to look for them," Maka announced and promptly ran out of the cafeteria. 

"But she just got here," Tsubaki sighed. 

"Let's just be happy Crona has someone looking out for them," Liz consoled Tsubaki with a pat on her shoulder. 

Maka ran through the hallways, still holding onto her apple. It was in this moment Maka wished her skirt had pockets. 

"Oh, hi Maka!" an amicable voice called from the room behind Maka on the left. 

"Ms. Marie! Have you seen Crona?" 

"Yes, they just left for lunch a little while ago with the rest of the class." 

"I was just in the cafeteria and they weren't there. Do you think they might be lost?" 

"It's been a few months since they started classes here. I wouldn't think they'd still be getting lost, but you're welcome to look for them." 

"That's why I was running in the hallway just then," Maka explained. 

"Why don't you make your way back to the cafeteria? They might be on their way," Marie suggested. 

"Ok," Maka said. Still clutching the apple, Maka ran through the hallway from which she came until she spotted Crona from a distance. 

"Crona! Wait up!" Maka shouted, waving. 

"Were you lost?" she asked. 

"N-no, I talked to Ms. Marie after class..." 

"I went looking for you and ended up in Ms. Marie's classroom, actually!" 

"Really?" 

"Mhmm." 

"Why were you running with an apple?" 

"I was going to give it to you in case we didn't make it back to the cafeteria before lunch ended." 

"Oh. Th-thanks, Maka." 

"No problem. Do you want it?" 

"Sure." 

Maka placed the apple in Crona's palm, hoping the sweat from her hand wasn't too copious and gross. 

Maka and Crona returned to the lunch table. 

"Hi Crona, would you like a cookie?" Tsubaki asked, pulling a paper bag of cookies from her purse. 

"I-" 

"YOU BAKED COOKIES AND DIDN'T TELL ME?!" Black*Star exclaimed. 

"I baked them this morning before you woke up," Tsubaki explained. Maka rolled her eyes at Black*Star's outburst.

"You were saying, Crona?" Maka asked. 

"I- sure!" Crona answered. 

Tsubaki handed them a homemade chocolate chip cookie. 

"Does anyone else want one? Now that everyone's here, we can share!" 

Instantaneously, everyone at the table shouted, indicating that they did, in fact, want a cookie. 

"I have one left..." Tsubaki noted aloud. 

Sure enough, Ragnarok exploded from Crona's back. 

"HEY! YOU FORGOT SOMEONE!" he yelled stridently. 

Tsubaki leaned over the lunch table to give Ragnarok the last cookie. 

He devoured the cookie and summarily retreated into Crona's back. 

"Does it hurt when he does that?" Patty asked. 

"Not really. Not anymore," Crona explained. 

"But Ragnarok is hard as lead, isn't he?" Death the Kid asked. 

"He only hardens during battle." 

"Like oobleck!" Maka added. 

"Oobleck?" Crona asked. 

"It behaves like a solid when more force is applied, and like a liquid when less force is applied," she articulated. 

"Whoa, watch out everyone, looks like we got a smartass here!" Soul commented. 

"Oh come on! You're just grumpy because you failed the test last week," Maka chided. 

* * *

When the bell rang that afternoon, Maka waited outside Ms. Marie's classroom with Soul. 

"How come they're always the last one out of class?" Soul wondered aloud. 

"You could always just ask them." 

Crona finally emerged from Ms. Marie's classroom. 

"Hi Crona!" 

"Ah!" Crona exclaimed. 

"I didn't mean to startle you!" Maka reassured. 

"I just wasn't expecting you is all," they said. 

"Soul and I always wait for you." 

"I-I know." 

"So why are you always the last to leave class?" Soul inquired. 

"I'm having to do a lot of makeup work to catch up...and I'm not doing very well." 

"Why didn't you say so? I can help you study!" Maka suggested. 

"O-oh, ok." 

* * *

"Blair, we're home!" Maka called as she opened the door. 

Blair shifted to her human form with a puff of lavender smoke, and continued to lounge on the floor like a cat. 

"Do you have any fish for me?" 

"No." 

"Bummer!" Blair exclaimed, and went back to batting around the fuchsia ball of yarn. 

"You can set your stuff here, Crona," Maka said, gesturing to the coffee table. 

Soul retreated to his room. 

"Do you want to show me your worksheets, Crona?" 

"Oh! Y-yes, of course." 

Crona pulled a bulging folder of worksheets out of their black messenger bag. 

Maka internally cringed at the bunched up and folded papers which were protruding from the side of the folder. 

"Which one do you want help with?" Maka asked. 

"This one," Crona said, pulling a crumpled worksheet from the folder. 

"This one's from today, don't you want to start from the beginning?" 

"It's a study guide," Crona explained, pointing to the "Study Guide" heading at the top of the page. 

"Oh. Hey, I got a study guide from Stein today! In the E.A.T. class they're optional but I like to be prepared. So when's this test of yours?" 

"This Monday after school." 

Maka took the study guide from Crona and looked it over. 

"The first question is pretty simple," she stated. 

"...I don't know the answer," Crona confessed. 

"Ok. It's 'A sound soul dwells within a sound mind and a sound body.'" 

"Alright," Crona said, taking the paper from Maka and scribbling the answer in the blanks. 

"but why is that the answer?" Crona continued. 

"If you're injured, then your body isn't sound, and neither is your soul! You'll be so focused on the pain that it'll manifest in your soul." 

"Uh-huh," Crona said, giving Maka their undivided attention. 

"And likewise, if something is troubling you, then your mind and soul will be troubled too! The stress will manifest itself in your soul." 

"Y-yeah, that makes sense." 

"Have you never heard that saying before?" Maka questioned. 

"No, not until I started classes at the D.W.M.A." 

"Yeah, I guess Medusa wouldn't be the kind of mom that cared about whether her child had a sound soul or not." 

"Hey Maka! What are we eating tonight?" Blair cried out from the other side of the living room. 

"Is it time for dinner already?" Maka asked aloud, looking at the clock. 

"Do you want to stay for dinner, Crona?" 

"Y-yes, that would be nice." 

"I'll help you study some more tomorrow at lunch!" 

Maka felt a tinge of guilt; she wasn't that good at explaining things and tutoring people. She had literally just given Crona the answer, and she feared they wouldn't learn anything this way. Then again, they were only filling out a study guide that Crona would look over in their spare time. 

Things would be ok, Maka reassured herself. 


	2. Chapter 2

Maka turned around for a brief moment and looked outside the window of Professor Stein's classroom. There were no trees outside, but the bright red cardinal flying past the window was the perfect indication that summer was upon Death City. 

"To those of you who are graduating next week, congratulations! I'll see all of you next week for exams. Study packets are on the table," Stein said, concluding his final lecture for the year, and the last one Maka would ever attend. 

When Maka left the classroom, Soul was waiting for her outside. 

"Why do you even get study packets? You know you're gonna pass no matter what," Soul commented. 

"I just like to be prepared! I got one for you if you want it," Maka replied, holding the dramatically thick packet out to Soul. He reluctantly put the packet away in his bag. 

"We've gotta stop by Ms. Marie's room before we leave, I want to see if Crona is graduating with us or not!" Maka continued. 

"Yeah, alright." 

Maka and Soul made it to Ms. Marie's room just in time to find Crona exiting. 

"Crona! Wait up!" Maka called from the end of the hallway. 

"Oh, hi Maka," they said. 

"Do you know if you're graduating with us this year yet?" Maka asked. 

"Yes, I found out yesterday." 

"And?" Maka asked excitedly. 

"Ms. Marie said I was!" Crona said as excitedly as their quiet voice could manage. 

"That's awesome! I'm so proud of you, Crona!" Maka congratulated, leaning in for a hug. 

"I still haven't told Ms. Marie that you revised my final essay from last week." 

"She doesn't need to know that! As long as you wrote the first draft that's all that matters," Maka dismissed. 

"Wow Maka, never thought I'd see that day that you'd help someone cheat," Soul commented. 

"It's not cheating if they wrote the first draft, Soul!" Maka quipped, suddenly becoming aware of the fact that she was still in Crona's arms in the middle of the now empty hallway. She hesitantly pulled away, remembering her own distaste for her parent's PDA and feeling awkward for Soul.

"Anyway, do you know where you're gonna live after you graduate? I know that N.O.T. students usually don't live in the school's housing like you do, but still." 

"I don't know, actually," Crona replied. 

"Soul and I already have a three bedroom apartment picked out! Do you want to move in with us?" Maka offered. 

"Oh, uh, sure!" 

"You didn't tell me you were asking Crona to move in," Soul said. 

"Why did you think I was so adamant about a three bedroom apartment?" Maka questioned. 

"I thought we were giving Blair her own room! But you've got a point," Soul conceded. 

* * *

Maka and Soul were walking home to their apartment after their final exam. 

Soul turned the key to their apartment only to find Crona sitting on the couch with one plain cardboard box. 

"Oh, hi Crona!" Maka greeted. 

"Blair let me in," Crona explained. 

"Speaking of Blair, we need to let her know she needs to move back in to her house," Maka informed Soul. 

"Did she actually ever officially move in here?!" Soul asked. 

"No. Imagine all of the dust in that house, though..." Maka wondered aloud. 

"What day are we moving into the new apartment?" Crona asked. 

"Uh, the 21st I think," Soul answered. 

Blair waltzed into the kitchen wearing nothing but a pink bath towel around her torso. She summarily began rummaging through the fridge to find the nearest morsel of food to satisfy her sweet tooth. 

"Blair?" Maka asked. 

"Yeah?" Blair answered, head still stuck in the fridge. 

"Do you remember how Soul and I went to look for apartments last month?" 

"Uh-huh," Blair confirmed. 

"Well, Soul, Crona, and I think that now would be a good time for you to move back into your house." 

"Oh I never even moved out!" Blair said matter-of-factly. 

"Just as I suspected," Soul quipped. 

Blair leaned against the fridge, biting into a leftover caramel apple from Halloween eight months ago. Her purple ears drooped against her head. 

"Still, it was fun living here. Can I visit?" she lamented. 

"Yeah," Soul answered. 

With a cloud of lavender smoke, Blair was fully dressed, black pointy hat and all. 

"Anyway, bye! I'll visit as soon as you're done moving in," Blair announced and proceeded to bounce out the door. 

"That was easy," Maka remarked. 

"She's a real piece of work," Soul said in agreement. 

"It doesn't look like much is packed up...didn't you say you were moving on the 21st? That's in two weeks, isn't it?" Crona observed. 

"Yeah, I've been studyi-" 

"WE'RE FINALLY MOVING OUT OF THAT DUSTY GLORIFIED PRISON CELL! CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS, CRONA?" Ragnarok shouted upon erupting from Crona's back. 

"Yes, Ragnarok," Crona sighed. 

"WHERE ARE WE GONNA PUT ALL OF OUR STUFF?" 

"I think you mean _my _stuff," Crona retorted. 

Ragnarok was immediately whisked back into Crona's bloodstream. 

"If I outsmart him then he's forced to retreat," Crona explained. 

"How did you figure that out?" Maka asked. 

"I dunno. It just started happening one day after I came to The Academy."

"I always thought he was obnoxious," Soul remarked. 

* * *

Maka woke up to the shrill beeping of her alarm clock. She walked to the kitchen to pour herself a bowl of cereal. 

Crona was sleeping on the couch, so she just stood at the counter to eat. 

When she put the bowl away in the dish washer she must've awoken Crona from making too much noise. When she turned around they were sitting up wide awake. 

"Did I wake you up? Sorry if I did," Maka apologized. 

"No, I was awake before you came in," Crona reassured. 

"You were just laying there with your eyes closed? Couldn't you sleep?" 

"Yes, but I kept waking up every few hours." 

"We're graduating today," Maka stated after a brief lull. 

"Yep," Crona agreed. 

"Are you nervous?" Maka asked. 

"Kind of," Crona answered. 

"Why?" 

"I honestly didn't think I would live past fourteen...I knew Kishins were to be hunted and killed and becoming a Kishin was my only way to survive with Medusa," Crona explained. 

"I'm sorry, I know how awful that was for you. I'm so glad Medusa's dead now," Maka reassured. 

"Same," Crona agreed. 

"I think I idolized the future too much. I was so eager to get away from papa and mama that I think I forgot the cherish the relationship I had with them. My mama still hasn't come back from her trip and it's been four years now...I don't think she'll come back again. I haven't even gotten a postcard from her in a long time. I haven't talked to papa in months," said Maka. 

"I'm sorry. I always did think you had a weird home life." 

"Like you're one to talk!" Maka replied giggling. 

"Yeah, you're right," Crona conceded, smiling. 

"Do you want to go ahead and start getting ready? We can wake up Soul later." 

"Sure." 

"Do you want to show me your cap and gown?" Maka asked. 

Crona pulled their cap and gown out of their cardboard box that they sat next to the couch. 

"It's so shiny!" Maka observed. 

"I think the black N.O.T. gowns show the sheen of the fabric better, don't you?" she continued. 

"Yeah." 

* * *

Maka and Crona sat in Maka's room at her vanity. 

"What's wrong, Crona?" Maka asked upon noticing that Crona was just staring at themselves in the mirror. 

"I've just never really looked in a mirror before like this." 

"But you stayed over here all the time for sleep overs before," Maka pointed out. 

"That was different, somehow," Crona answered, craning their neck and observing their reflection once more. 

"Anyway, I think the curling iron's hea-" 

"I'M AWAKE!" Soul shouted from his room across the hall. 

"OK!" Maka shouted back. "Anyway, I think the curling iron's heated up now," Maka finished. 

"Do you want to try it?" she asked. 

"No thanks." 

Maka began curling her hair. Curling wands may as well have been foreign objects to Crona. Growing up in Medusa's household was like growing up in a prison, with rations and just enough of everything to survive. 

The shiny pink exterior of the curling wand intrigued Crona. Maka was this absolutely badass and successful woman and Crona somehow managed to weasel their way into her life. Curling one's own hair was such a benign action, yet Crona couldn't stop thinking about it. 

"Oh, here's the hairbrush," Maka said, handing the brush to Crona. 

Crona began to brush their pink hair. Pink like the curling iron Maka was wielding. 

Soul knocked at the door. 

"Come in!" 

"Hey, so what time do we ha-" Soul managed to say before he began coughing. "What the hell is that smell?" he asked. 

"It's the scented candle," Maka said, matter-of-factly pointing to the Springtime Strawberries And Daisies candle burning on her windowsill. 

"Anyway, what time to we have to be at The Academy for graduation?" Soul continued. 

"Five. The ceremony starts at six," Maka answered. 

"And right now it's three." Crona added. 

"Alright," Soul said, closing the door. 

"I think I should've put my gown on before I started curling my hair. Well, I guess that's what hairspray's for," Maka thought aloud. 

"I'm gonna put on my gown," Crona said. 

When they came back into Maka's room she was standing in the middle of the room with her eyes closed spraying hairspray. She had opened the window in the time Crona was gone, thankfully. 

"Soul was right, it does smell like a department store in here," Crona said. 

"Have you been to a department store?" 

"No, but I've seen the episode of _Spongebob_ where Spongebob and Patrick run through a department store to escape The Flying Dutchman." 

"Medusa let you watch _Spongebob_?" Maka questioned. 

"Yeah." 

"I wouldn't've expected that." 

"It is strange now that you mention it," Crona agreed. 

* * *

During the ceremony, the three were separated in the rows of seating for the graduating class. Maka was near the beginning of the front row in her white gown, which seemed to be glowing in the fluorescent stage lights. Soul was near the end of the first row, and Crona was somewhere in the middle of the second row. 

Maka turned around and gave Crona a cursory wave before Lord Death and Death the Kid gave their speech. 

"Maka Albarn," Lord Death called. 

As Maka walked across the stage, she gave a quick glance to the audience. She saw her father, because how could she miss his bright red hair? She had wanted to invite her mother, but she didn't know what address to send the invitation to. 

Maka held her breath in anticipation of waiting for Crona's name to be called. 

"Crona Gorgon," Lord Death said and Maka watched as her dear friend walked across the carefully waxed stage under the fluorescent lights. 

The black robes did, in fact, show the sheen of the fabric better, Maka thought. 

* * *

Maka and Soul waited outside the door for Crona. They knew that Crona often had a hard time navigating crowds, and they had lost Crona in all the commotion. A few seconds later, Kid emerged from the crowd with Liz and Patty. He shared a momentary glance with Soul, who then put his hand on Kid's right shoulder. Maka had to admit to herself that the crowd of people barrel rushing out the doors and balloons floating into the sky as they did so was overwhelming. 

Maka caught Crona by the shoulder as soon as they walked through the door. 

"We're right here!" Maka shouted over the crowd. 

"Was your mom in the audience?" Crona asked, leaning in close to Maka so she could hear. 

"No..." Maka admitted. 

"Let's go home; don't tell me you forgot about the after party you planned," Soul jested. 


	3. Chapter 3

"I can't believe you talked me into this," Soul griped as Maka was walking with him back to the D.W.M.A. only a year and a half after he had graduated. 

"I never said you had to! If you still hate it after today, you can quit. I promise," Maka assured. 

"Who are we interning with, anyway?" Soul asked. 

"With Stein! I told you last night, remember? Blair's visiting tonight, too," Maka answered. 

"Oh, right. I hope he made a better impression on his new students than he did with us." 

"Same here." 

"He didn't tell me what room he was in...I guess it's the same as when we were students here," Maka thought aloud as she walked through the E.A.T. class hallway. 

"WAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!" a familiar voice suddenly yelled from the room across the hall. 

"It couldn't be-" Maka said in shock. 

Black*Star came speeding out of the room across the hallway. 

"I didn't know you two were going to be here!" Black*Star shouted. 

"And to think you were worried that everyone was going to drift apart," Soul said, chiding Maka. 

"And Kid's here too, bet you didn't know that!" Black*Star bellowed. 

"He's a _reaper_, Black*Star. Of course he's here with Lord Death," Maka pointed out. 

"Oh yeah, right! So what brings you two here?!" Black*Star continued. 

"Interning with Stein," Maka answered. 

"Tsubaki and I are interning with Sid! And speaking of Tsubaki, she's probably waitin' on me right now!" Black*Star proclaimed, and upon turning around noticed that Sid and Tsubaki were standing at the door to Sid's classroom. 

"Look, if you want to intern to be the next combat teacher, you can't keep running off like that!" Sid scolded. 

"I still can't believe Tsubaki's his partner after all these years," Maka sighed. 

"Am I interrupting?" Stein said suddenly from behind. 

"Nope! Black*Star just had to come out and greet us," Maka explained. 

"Class, I would like to introduce you to my two interns, Maka Albarn and Soul Evans. They graduated from the E.A.T. class a year and a half ago," Stein announced, gesturing to Soul and Maka. 

* * *

"So, Black*Star and Tsubaki are interning with Sid, we're interning with Stein, Kid is working with his dad, and Crona's going to start interning with Naigus in the spring semester...they made it seem like we'd never see this place again after we graduated," Maka mused. 

"It sure is ironic. Wait- Jackie? Kim? What are you girls doing here?" Soul asked in shock. 

"Interning with Miss Marie," Kim answered. 

"What're you guys doing here?" Jackie inquired. 

"Interning with Stein," Maka replied. 

"Is EVERYONE from the E.A.T. class interning?" Soul questioned. 

"Hey guys!" Ox said, emerging from a nearby classroom with Harvar. 

"Who are you interning with?" Soul interrogated. 

"Professor Albarn," Harvar answered. 

"Papa's a teacher now?!?!?" Maka asked in horror. 

"Yeah. You didn't know?" Ox asked. 

"No?!?!" Maka exclaimed in confusion. 

"Is Kilik interning with anyone?" Soul asked. 

"Yeah, he's interning with Mifune," Jackie replied. 

* * *

Maka collapsed on the couch when she got home. 

"We're home!" Soul announced. 

Crona came out of their bedroom to find Maka laying on the couch. 

"How'd the first day of your internship go, Maka?" Crona asked right before Soul shut the door to his room. 

"Well enough," Maka answered, rolling over onto her back. "What did you do today?" she continued. 

"Naigus gave me some textbooks to read so I've been busy with that. Is everything ok? I've never seen you this forlorn after being at The Academy," they asked. 

"I found out today that papa's a teacher now," Maka sighed, grabbing a pillow and pressing it against her face. 

"You're still no-contact with him, right?" 

"Yeah, I didn't even see him today. Soul and I just found out that Ox and Harvar were interning with him," Maka moved the pillow from her face to her stomach. 

"I'm sorry. I know you never really liked your dad," Crona consoled. 

"I did until I found out what a cheater he was!" Maka corrected. 

"Maybe he's changed?" Crona asked, hopeful. 

"It doesn't matter if he has- it'd be too weird to try to get on good terms now. Like, 'Hey papa! I haven't made an effort to talk to you in two years! Wanna catch up?' I just can't imagine ever doing that. Aren't familial relationships supposed to be the easiest to maintain?" asked Maka rhetorically. 

"Hey, cheer up! We don't need our parents! If your dad is giving you this much stress then it might be better to just forget about him!" Crona suggested. 

"Yeah, you're right. Except that I have to work in the same building as him now, ugh!" Maka lamented. 

"I know, but look on the bright side! I'll be there too in a few months! And Soul is interning with you, right? So if you do have to be around him you won't have to do it alone," Crona said. 

"Well, I told Soul that if he didn't like interning that he didn't have to keep doing it after today..." explained Maka.

"Oh."

"But thank you, Crona," Maka said, taking Crona's hand in hers.

* * *

As soon as Maka opened the door to the apartment that evening, her and Soul were greeted with very familiar lavender puff of smoke.

"Blair's here already?!" Soul exclaimed before coughing.

Maka said nothing, but rolled her eyes. "Crona?"

The smoke began to clear, and Crona was opening the living room window. They made their way to Maka. "I didn't expect her to be here before we even got home!" she whisper-yelled.

"Sorry, I didn't want to be rude," said Crona.

"It's fine," Maka whispered back. 

"Hiya Soul! Maka!," Blair greeted. She was already rummaging through the kitchen. "This is gonna be a long evening," Soul griped. All three of them sighed

"Hey, Blair? Why don't you just let me cook dinner for everyone?" suggested Maka.

"Ok!" Blair replied in her usual high-pitched voice before transforming back into a cat, filling the apartment with lavender smoke yet again. "One of us really needs to tell her to stop doing that," whispered Crona.

Maka nodded. "You do it, Soul."

"What? Why?!"

"I already told her to stop going through the fridge."

"Fine," Soul conceded. "Can you quit changing forms? You keep filling the apartment with smoke."

"Sure!" Blair nodded, an action which was only barely visible on account of Crona using a throw pillow to disperse the smoke.

* * *

As per usual, Maka was the first one up the next morning. Still feeling exhausted from Blair's visit yesterday evening, she poured herself a bowl of Froot Loops and watched the sun rise out of the kitchen window as she ate. To her surprise, Crona emerged from their room before Soul that morning. 

"Good morning, Maka," they said. 

"Morning," Maka replied. 

"Are you still upset about your dad?" 

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," Maka confessed. 

"Well, I'll be here when you get home and you can tell me all about it if anything bad happens! Does that make you feel any better?" 

"A bit," Maka said, leaning in for a hug. She noticed now how much taller they were -- they had always been taller, but for some reason Maka only just now noticed it. Maka's head rested against their chest, and in this position she could almost hear their heartbeat. _Almost_. Feeling, well, _weird_, for lack of a better word, Maka pulled away slowly. Crona rubbed her shoulder for a few seconds before getting their own bowl of cereal.

* * *

"I still can't believe we get to eat in the teacher's lounge now! Thankfully our lunch time is different than papa's," Maka cajoled, pulling out her lunchbox from her bag. "Here's one for you, too," Maka said handing one to Soul. 

"Well, as great as this is, I think I'm gonna quit after today," Soul said. 

"What?" Maka gasped. 

"You said if I didn't like it I didn't have to do it after yesterday," Soul explained. 

"Well, yeah, but -- ugh!" Maka grumbled, slouching back in her chair. 

"What's gotten into you the past day? You've been all moody and sensitive since yesterday." 

"I...it's because I found out that papa's a teacher now, ok!" Maka whispered sharply under her breath. 

"That makes sense. You always did hate your old man." 

"It's more than that now," Maka corrected. 

"Ok. And?" 

"I just thought I'd never have to deal with him again after I graduated," Maka confessed. 

"You decided to intern at the same place he's working, Maka. Did you really not expect him to be here?" Soul criticized. 

"No -- but he used to just hang around doing nothing! Now he's a teacher. It just feels so wrong," Maka replied. "I'm so upset about you leaving because I don't want to have to deal with him if I'm by myself," Maka admitted after a lull. Her eyes grew tight with tears, and upon blinking they began to pour out. She rested her face in her hands. Soul handed her a napkin. 

* * *

"We're home, Crona!" Maka announced. 

Crona ran to Maka from their room. 

"Did anything bad happen today?" Crona asked, resting their hands on Maka's shoulders. 

"I cried during lunch today." 

"About your dad?" Crona asked. 

"Yeah. I don't think anyone noticed besides Soul, though. Or if they did they were nice enough to not say anything," Maka laughed nervously. 

"What day in January are you going to start interning with Naigus? I'm only interning with Maka until you start interning," Soul stated. 

"Uh, the 15th I think? But I'll only be there on Thursdays and Fridays," Crona answered. 

"Alright, so about three months," Soul said in relief before summarily retreating to his room. 

"Do you want to talk some more?" Crona asked. 

"Yeah." 

Maka layed on Crona's bed. Crona was sitting at the foot of the bed, with a medical textbook open in their lap, which was left ignored. 

"I never even intended to go no contact with him, it just kind of happened. He gave me a birthday card for my eighteenth birthday and then after that I just...didn't talk to him. What was even weirder is that he never made an effort to talk to me like he usually does -- did, sorry." 

"Maybe he was sick of trying?" Crona suggested. 

"Maybe. But that makes me feel even worse! Like 'Wow, nice going, Maka! You drove away your own father with your crummy attitude!' and what if he hates me as much as I hated him? What if I try to talk to him and he just ignores me?" Maka fretted. 

"I still have...complex feelings about Medusa. Even though she's dead, I can't decide whether I should love or hate her," Crona admitted. 

"But she was so evil!" Maka objected. 

"But I had a bond with her. Just like how you have a bond with your mom and dad," Crona explained. 

"I know," conceded Maka. "I feel awful about making Soul keep interning with me."

"Are you _making_ him?"

"Well, no, but after I cried today he said he would intern with me until you started interning me with Naigus. He said he didn't want me to be in turmoil when I'm trying to start my career."

"Soul cares about you, Maka. If the situation was reversed, you would do the same for him, right?"

"Yeah, of course!"

"I care about you too, Maka. But I think it's a different way from how Soul does...he's your partner, and I'm not. We're both Meisters, after all."

"I know, and I know I need to figure all this family stuff and relationship stuff out out, but I'm just so confused right now!" 

"That's ok. Take your time," Crona reassured. 


	4. Chapter 4

Maka opened the last brown cardboard box she had sitting in her classroom. She wielded the box cutter, cutting the packing tape with unmatched precision. She placed the last decoration, a neon green bunting that read "Happy First Day!" in white letters, above the chalkboard in her classroom. 

"That's the last thing, Soul." 

"Alright, we can go home now!" Soul exclaimed, relieved. 

"We've got to be here by 6 AM tomorrow morning!" Maka reminded. 

"And after tomorrow I'm free?" 

"Yep! You'll only be called in on certain days after tomorrow," Maka affirmed. 

"Alright; let's bounce." 

* * *

Crona was laying on their stomach flipping through their textbook. It took a whole lot of interning to become The Academy's full-time school nurse. They would've gone with Maka to decorate her classroom, but studying medicine involved an unfathomable amount of reading, studying, writing, taking quizzes, etc. 

"We're home, Crona!" Maka called after Soul shut the front door. 

Crona bolted to their feet to meet Maka in the living room. 

"Did you get your classroom decorated?" they asked excitedly. 

"Yep! I'm making Chicken Parm for dinner tonight," Maka replied happily. 

Maka soon began preparing, preheating the oven and gathering bowls and ingredients from around the kitchen. 

"Are you excited for tomorrow, Maka?" Crona inquired while they sat at the countertop. 

"Yeah, but I'm exhausted. I'm gonna make dinner and eat and go to bed. I have to be up at 4 AM tomorrow..." 

"Then let me help you with dinner!" Crona suggested, taking notice of just how frazzled Maka seemed. 

"Ok, can you get the marinara sauce from the fridge?" 

"Yeah," Crona responded. 

Maka took the jar from Crona and nearly dropped it on the floor. 

"Ugh..." Maka grumbled, exasperated. 

"Why don't you just let me fix dinner tonight?" 

"No, I'm fine, I can do it," Maka protested. 

"You almost dropped the sauce jar! If it had busted on the floor it would've made an awful mess...the shards of glass would've been lost in the sauce, and we could've cut ourselves cleaning up...just let me do it, please. You have a busy day tomorrow." 

"Alright," Maka conceded, "Let me write instructions first!" 

"I've seen you make Chicken Parm dozens of times! I can do it," Crona reassured. 

"Ok," Maka said, relinquishing cooking duty to Crona. 

She layed down on the couch in the living room, which actually wasn't even a separate room from the kitchen -- she could see Crona seasoning the chicken. She turned on the T.V. An old sitcom was playing. She pulled the throw blanket over her and closed her eyes; the last thing she remembers seeing was Crona dunking a cutlet into a pan full of oil. 

* * *

"Maka, Maka, it's time to get up," Crona whispered as they tapped Maka on the shoulder. 

Maka opened her eyes and was immediately aware that she was not immune to post-nap grogginess. 

"How long was I asleep?" Maka asked. 

"About half an hour. Anyway, dinner's ready!" 

Crona brought a piping hot plate of Chicken Parm and a glass of soda over to Maka. 

"Careful, it's hot," they cautioned. 

Crona brought their own plate and drink over to the couch. 

The chicken was ever so slightly burnt and there was a bit too much cheese but Maka didn't mind. The extra crispiness of the chicken skin paired with the extra moisture of the mozzarella cheese didn't go unappreciated as Maka typically woke up from naps with a dry mouth. 

"How is it?" Crona asked. 

"It's good! I should've had more trust in you." 

"I'm glad I didn't completely scorch it," they said, relieved. 

"Wait, where's Soul?" Maka asked, realizing she hadn't kept track of Soul this evening. 

"He left while you were asleep. He said he was going to Gallows Manor to do something with Kid." 

"Well he better be back soon...I don't want to be late tomorrow because he can't get out of bed!" Maka stated, shoving a forkful of chicken into her mouth. 

"He shouldn't be back too late..." Crona mused. 

* * *

Maka emerged from her bedroom after she finished putting up her hair for the night. She peeked into the living room and found Crona still awake, scrolling on their phone while the news played in the background on mute. 

"I guess he hasn't came back yet?" Maka asked. 

"No, but I'm gonna sit up until he does." 

"Crona, it's already 11 PM. You don't have to stay up if you don't want to." 

"I don't mind," Crona reassured. 

"Are you sure?" 

"Mhmm," they answered. 

"Well, goodnight. I-" Maka stopped herself. 

"What?" Crona asked, looking up from their phone. 

"I- I just wanted to say I hope you don't have to stay up for too long!" Maka stammered. 

"Like I said; I don't mind at all." 

"Oh, ok. Well, goodnight. Uh, again," Maka barely managed to get out. 

"Goodnight, Maka." 

Maka shut her bedroom door as quietly as she could. Even so, her nerves were running high. 

She had almost told Crona she loved them. 

Maka turned to face herself in the mirror. 

"I can't believe I almost blurted that out..." she whispered to herself. 

But whatever. Maka had a busy day tomorrow and no matter what Crona would still be her best friend, right? Yeah. They definitely would. 

* * *

It was 11:38 PM when Crona dozed off to sleep on the couch. 

it was 1:17 AM when Soul's return home jostled them awake. 

"What're you doing sleeping on the couch?" he asked, followed by a yawn. 

"I was sitting up waiting for you to get home," they answered, rubbing their eyes. 

"Why?" 

"Maka was worried you'd be too tired to get up in the morning and you'd make her late." 

"Ha! I'll be damned if I make her late on her first day of her career." 

"What were you doing so late on a Sunday night anyway?" Crona questioned. 

"I was at Olive Garden with Kid," Soul replied. 

"Olive Garden?" Crona asked. 

"Olive Garden." Soul confirmed. 

"...With Kid?" Crona asked again. 

"With Kid," Soul confirmed for the second time. 

"Oh ok. Medusa said she'd take me there for my 10th birthday, but never did," Crona stated matter-of-factly. 

"Really?" 

"Yeah," Crona said. "Hey, wait, didn't you say you were going to Gallows Manor?" they continued. 

"I did go to Gallows Manor to meet Kid. Then we went to Olive Garden," he explained. 

"Oh, ok! Well, I'm gonna go to bed." 

* * *

"I think we should've brought an umbrella," Soul commented, yawning. 

"It's just overcast," Maka replied, walking up the steps to The D.W.M.A. 

As soon as the doors closed behind them, it started pouring. 

"Yikes!" Maka gasped. 

"Let's just hope it doesn't last all day." 

"Oh, hi Maka," Tsubaki greeted as Maka and Soul turned the corner. 

"Where's Black*Star?" Maka inquired. 

"He's...fighting with Sid." 

"Why am I not surprised?" Soul mused aloud. 

"Hey Tsubaki, did you see that Black*Star's fighting with Sid?" a familiar voice said. 

"Liz!" Tsubaki exclaimed, turning around. 

"That's just like him to go off and fight before the first day of classes start," Liz remarked. 

"Are you three still leaving for Russia today?" Soul asked. 

"Yeah, our flight is leaving in an hour so I'd better get moving. The only reason I'm here is because Kid forgot some important documents in his office last night," Liz explained. 

"Oh. Well, have fun in Russia!" Maka added. 

"We will!" Liz assured before she turned to give Tsubaki a kiss on the cheek. 

"Bye, babe," Liz smiled. 

"Bye!" said Tsubaki. "Well, I'd better find my way back to Black*Star. Classes start at 8, after all," Tsubaki continued. 

"You're right! It's 5:30 right now," Maka said. 

Maka opened the door to her classroom, noting the plaque outside that read "Professor Albarn." 

She took a seat at her desk in the front of the classroom. She also noted the lack of a chair for Soul. 

"Uh...I guess I'll go get a chair from the teacher's lounge for you, Soul," Maka said, running off. 

She came back with a blue folding chair from the teacher's lounge and set it up next to her desk. 

"Alright," she said, patting it. 

Soul sat down, looking intently at his phone. 

"What're you looking at?" Maka asked. 

"Snapchats from Kid." 

"Has their flight left yet?" 

"No, they're all still at the airport. Damn TSA," Soul grumbled. 

"I've never been on a flight...oh! I should go ahead and put a copy of the syllabus on everyone's desk," Maka thought aloud, pulling the syllabi out of her desk drawer. She rushed to put one on each desk. 

"Do you think the class sizes will be smaller since there are more teachers this year?" Maka asked. 

"Hopefully. When we were here there were like thirty kids to a class." 

Eventually, the first student arrived. 

"Welcome to class!" Maka greeted. 

Within the next five minutes about fifteen kids had filled into the classroom. 

"I guess that's everyone," Maka whispered to Soul. "Uh, hi everyone! I'm Professor Albarn, and I'll be your professor for this year!" 

A boy raised his hand. 

"Yes?" 

"Are you related to the other Professor Albarn?" 

Maka's heart fell into her stomach. 

"Yes. He's my dad," she explained, gritting her teeth. 

Someone else's hand shot up. 

"How old are you guys?" 

"Twenty-one," Maka answered. 

"Who's that man?" a girl shouted from the back row. 

"This is my partner, Soul Evans. He's only going to be here on certain days from now on. Speaking of partners, you'll be choosing yours this week!" Maka announced. "If you'll come down to my desk and pick out a pin with your status as either a Meister or a Weapon we can get started! When you return to your desks, I want Meisters on the right side of the room and Weapons on the left side," she continued. 

"Your left or our left?!" someone shouted from the back. 

"My left," Maka answered. 

The new students shuffled around the room until they were in the arrangement Maka requested. 

"Alright! It looks like we have one more Weapon than Meister, but that'll mean that either one of you Weapons will need to transfer to another class or a Meister will need to take two Weapons. But don't worry, we can discuss that later. Anyway, onto how to pick your partner," Maka articulated. 

She turned around to her chalkboard and began to write. 

"How to pick partners," the board read. 

"Generally speaking, opposing personalities make for the best partnerships. For example, I'm very Type A. I'm hardworking and diligent, but Soul...not so much. Which is totally fine, and that's what makes our partnership work so well!" Maka explained, giving Soul a fist bump. "So, until lunch I want you all to just mingle and get to know each other! You have all week to pick your partners so there's no rush," Maka reassured. 

A tall girl wearing a pastel pink cardigan walked up to Maka's desk. 

"Professor Albarn?" she asked. 

"Yes?" 

"I'm a Weapon and I guess I need to transfer out of your class...I know you said we have one more Weapon than Meister." 

"If you don't want to transfer I'm sure we can make something work!" Maka said. 

"Well, I'm not part of a Weapon set...I'm just a sickle," she said, transforming her left hand into a yellow and white sickle to demonstrate. 

Maka pulled a transfer form out of her desk. 

"Here you go, you can fill your part out and then just give it back to me and I'll fill out everything else and turn it in for you." 

"Thank you," she said, walking back to her desk. 

Half an hour later, Maka dismissed her class for lunch. She made her way to the teacher's lounge with Soul. Tsubaki was getting something out of the microwave. She opened her mouth to speak but was summarily interrupted with a "HEYA!" from Black*Star. 

"Hey guys!" Maka greeted. 

"Something smells good!" Soul commented. 

"Oh, it's probably these chicken wings I made yesterday for lunch. I brought some leftovers for today," Tsubaki answered. 

Black*Star sped over to Tsubaki and grabbed his container of wings. 

"Hey, you guys should come sit with me and Tsubaki!" Black*Star suggested. 

Maka and Soul obliged, walking with Tsubaki and Black*Star back to their table. 

"So what's your class doing this week, Maka?" Black*Star asked in between bites of chicken. 

"They're going to choose their partners," she answered. 

"Why didn't I think of that?" Black*Star asked dramatically, scolding himself. 

"Well I told you that picking partners is the first thing the new students do!" Tsubaki chided. 

"I thought I was only going to be teaching combat..." Black*Star lamented. 

"How did you intern for two years and not realize you were teaching a whole class?" Soul asked. 

"I have a problem with tunnel vision, I guess," Black*Star replied. 

"I just got another Snapchat from Kid," Soul announced, sounding more excited than usual. 

"And?" Black*Star inquired. 

"Patty fell asleep and started snoring so loud they nearly got kicked off the plane. Kid had to show the flight attendant his I.D. Now him and Liz are trying to keep Patty awake with crossword puzzles and Sudoku from the newspaper." 

"I take it she didn't sleep well last night?" Tsubaki said. 

"I guess so. But I've read that flights just make people sleepy sometimes," Maka explained. 

"It's a twelve-hour flight, so I wish them luck with trying to keep her awake for that long. It'll be 6:30 PM here when they arrive in Moscow," Soul stated. 

"I don't envy them one bit!" Black*Star exclaimed, laughing. 

"Lunch hour's almost over. We'd better get going in a few minutes," Maka noted aloud. 

* * *

Maka and Soul returned home. It was around 5 PM. 

"Sorry for keeping you for so long after classes ended today. I just wanted to get the transfer form to Lord Death." 

"Don't worry about it," Soul reassured. 

"Crona, we're home!" Maka called from the living room. 

Crona bolted from their bedroom to hug Maka at the door. Crona rested their chin on the top of Maka's head. Maka enjoyed the bit of weight, and scolded herself for questioning why.

"Maka! How was your day?" 

"It was good, but I'm beat. I'm gonna warm up some leftover Chicken Parm for dinner soon," she answered as she flopped onto the couch. 

"Kid's gonna FaceTime me when his flight lands in an hour and a half. Do y'all want to be there when he calls?" Soul asked. 

"Sure!" Maka answered. 

"Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Kid that much these past few years...I hope he's doing ok," Maka continued. 

"But we all meet for lunch once a week?" Crona interjected, confused. 

"Well yeah, but I used to see him almost everyday in class. Same with Liz and Patty." 

"It seems like he's doing fine, he was with Soul at Olive Garden last night," Crona stated. 

"That's where he was?" 

"Yeah, that's what he told me when he got home," Crona answered. 

"I wonder why he didn't tell me about it..." Maka asked aloud. 

"Maybe it was a spur of the moment plan?" Crona suggested. 

"No...Crona, it was a date!" Maka whisper-yelled. 

"Oh." 

"It makes sense I guess...Soul and Kid did always seem to be a lot closer with each other than they were with anyone else in the group, not counting their partners of course. It's just, did he think I was homophobic and that I wouldn't approve? No; I came out as a lesbian to him a few years ago, and you're Non-Binary and I'm friends with you so that can't be it. I mean, you and Soul are my closest friends. He's like, my best friend and you're my mega BFF," Maka thought aloud. 

_Mega BFF_. Those words lingered in Crona's head for a moment. 

Soul walked into the living room, phone in hand. He sat on the couch between Crona and Maka. 

"Hello everyone," Kid greeted. 

"HIYA!" Patty bellowed. 

"Hey," said Liz. 

"What time is it there?" Soul asked. 

"1:30 AM," Kid replied. 

"Hey Kid, do you want me to order the food when we get to the restaurant here?" Patty asked, preceeded by a yawn. 

"Sure." 

"Patty's been reading the Russian books Lord Death gave us," Liz explained. 

"She's picking up on it very quickly. She even made conversation with some people on the plane," Kid stated. 

"I've always wanted to learn a European language. I know some Japanese from hearing mama speak it when I was little, but that's it." 

"I know Greek," Crona said. 

"You should teach me some sometime!" Maka suggested. 

"W-well, I haven't spoken any since I was living with Medusa," they explained. 

"So, Maka, Soul: what did your class do today?" Kid asked. 

"They started picking their partners today and have until Friday to decide. I've also planned a trip to France later in the semester a little bit before Christmas and I'll hand out the permission slips on Friday!" Maka replied. 

"Sounds fun. I still remember the day I found Liz and Patty in Brooklyn." 

"Yeah and after we moved in with you we each had our own rooms! Right Liz?" Patty exclaimed. 

"Yep." 

"I never got to choose my partner...I was always stuck with Ragnarok." 

"I'm so glad you figured out a way to banish him!" Maka said. 

"I always did think he was annoying as hell," Kid remarked. 

"Hey Soul, remember when I first introduced myself to you and you played me a piano cover of 'Welcome To The Black Parade?'" Maka said. 

"Don't remind me of that..." 

"When I was a young boy..." Maka began singing. Crona giggled.

"My Chemical Romance still slaps," Kid said. 

"It must've made an impression on you if you decided to become my partner after that," Soul jested. 

Maka rolled her eyes playfully. 

"Well Patty's ordering food for us at the airport, so I've got to go now. I love you Soul, bye," Kid said. 

"Love you too." 

Liz waved goodbye while Patty was talking a mile a minute in what sounded like perfect Russian. 

"They're lucky Patty turned out to be a linguistic genius," Maka said. 

"Alright, I've got to work on a piano commission for my Patreon," Soul announced and retreated to his room. 

Maka pulled out her phone. 

"I should check my school email before I warm up some Chicken Parm," Maka explained. 

"I guess you're right, Kid and Soul are dating," Crona said in a whisper while Maka's email was loading. 

"I've got an email from Lord Death! It must be about the transfer application," she said. 

Maka's eyes went wide and her face turned white. 

"What? What is it, Maka?" Crona asked worriedly. 

"It says in this email that the only class with any empty spots left is papa's, and I'll have to deliver a copy of the form to him after I pick it up from Lord Death tomorrow..." Maka croaked. 

"I-I'm sorry, I- I don't know what to say..." Crona lamented. 

"Whatever. It's fine! I'm just gonna enjoy my Chicken Parm tonight," Maka said through gritted teeth as she stood up to walk to the freezer; her phone left ajar on the couch cushion. 


	5. Chapter 5

Maka awoke with a start early in the morning. Her alarm clock was going off. Maka reached over and tapped the "dismiss" option on her phone. 

She got up and began preparing some bacon to go with her cereal, but it was eerie being up so early by herself. Crona and Soul were still asleep. 

Maka kept trying to concentrate on frying the bacon but she felt like she was forgetting something. 

"I have to take the transfer form to papa," she gasped in realization, nearly dropping her cereal bowl onto the floor. "Soul's not gonna be with me today..." Maka whispered. She would have to do this by herself. Unless... 

No. She couldn't wake up Crona and ask them to help her with something petty like this. Maka walked over to Crona's bedroom door anyway. She had set a timer for the bacon before she left the kitchen. She touched the doorknob and began to twist it. She cracked the door open and peered inside. Crona was still asleep, of course. It was barely half past 4 AM. Maka walked in and over to Crona's bedside. "Crona, are you awake?" she asked knowing full well they weren't. She tapped their shoulder a few times. 

"M-Maka? What's wrong?" they asked upon awaking, followed by a yawn. 

"Will you come with me to The Academy for a little bit today so I don't have to turn in the transfer form by myself?" she asked. 

"Uh, sure," Crona replied. 

"I'm making bacon. We'll need to be there by 5:30, so we have about an hour." 

Crona soon joined Maka in the kitchen. Maka had already fixed herself a bowl of cereal and a plate of bacon. 

"The bacon's over there!" Maka said as they walked in. 

* * *

"Alright, I think papa's office is this way," Maka thought aloud. 

Maka and Crona approached the door with a plaque that read "Spirit Albarn, Death Scythe." Maka peered inside through the window. 

"The lights are off. I guess he's not there!" Maka happily exclaimed. She put the form in the folder mounted on his door. "Sorry for waking you up to do this with me, Crona. I know you're only at The Academy on Thursdays and Fridays for your internship." 

"You don't need to apologize. I don't mind!" they reassured. 

Maka walked them to the front door of the D.W.M.A. 

"I'll see you when I get home!" Maka said before hugging Crona farewell. This time, they noticed Crona's hand on the small of her back more than usual. She also noticed her own hand on Crona's back more than usual, and mentally compared how she used to be able to feel their spine through the layers of fabric, skin, muscle and tissue with their now healthier build. She went back to her classroom and began organizing for the day. She soon heard the sound of someone falling from the hallway. She rushed outside to see what had happened. "Black*Star?"

Tsubaki was running up to him from the end of the hallway. 

"Tsubaki, what's going on with him?" 

"He stayed up all night last night trying to put together a lesson plan," Tsubaki sighed, helping him up. "You should've just let me help you; you wouldn't have been up nearly as long if you had!" she chastised. 

"Well, good luck teaching today," Maka said before retreating into her own classroom. 

* * *

Things had gone smoothly for the first half of the day and now it was time for Maka's lunch break. She made her way to the teacher's lounge, carrying with her some leftover bacon from breakfast and some orange slices. She warmed her bacon up in the microwave and took a seat. Black*Star and Tsubaki entered clumsily, with Tsubaki practically carrying Black*Star. "Whoa, Black*Star, how are you in any shape to teach today?" Maka questioned. 

"Willpower," he replied. 

Tsubaki pulled two TV dinners from her bookbag. "Upon finding Black*Star was still wide awake this morning, I decided to run to the store and get some microwave meals instead," Tsubaki explained before she walked over to the microwave. Tsubaki returned with the two microwave meals, and as soon as they had all began eating a familiar figure walked into the teacher's lounge. 

"No way..." Maka whispered. 

"What is it? What's wrong, Maka?" Tsubaki asked. 

"It's my papa!" Maka whisper-yelled before resting her head on the table. "I can't believe this. I'm too old to hide under the table but this won't work at all!" she quietly whined. 

"Your dad's making a bee-line for our table so you'd better prepare yourself," Black*Star grumbled, still exhausted. 

"Well if it isn't my darling daughter, Maka," Spirit greeted. "Oh, and it's always nice to see you two as well," he continued, gesturing to Black*Star and Tsubaki. 

Tsubaki was visibly cringing. 

"Uh, Mr. Albarn, Maka's not in the best of moods today, as I'm sure you can see --" she tried to interject. 

"Nobody's ever in too bad a mood to see their father!" he replied. "Say, Maka, where's Soul?" he continued. 

"He's at our apartment. He's only going to be here on certain days from no-" Maka answered, raising up. 

"Ah! I always knew you two would get married one day." 

"No, we're just friends and we always have been. Crona's living with us too, y'know," Maka corrected. 

"Have you heard from your mother recently?" 

"No." 

"Y'know Albarn, it's kind of rude to just burst into your daughter's life like this when you haven't been in contact with her for what, like three years now?" Black*Star remarked. 

"Mhmm," Tsubaki agreed. 

Spirit was taken aback. "Well, alright," he said, then turned around and left. 

"Man, that was awkward!" Black*Star said. 

"You're telling me!" Maka affirmed. 

"Has he ever tried to get in touch with you in the past few years?" Tsubaki inquired. 

"No. We've seen each other in the halls of The Academy a few times, but he's never stopped to talk or anything. He's never even asked Soul or Crona how I was doing, which is strange because apparently he thought Soul and I were married," Maka explained. 

"Then he was being pretty rude just then, wasn't he?" Tsubaki responded. 

"Not just 'pretty rude,' I'd say he was acting like a jackass!" Black*Star surmised. 

* * *

"I forgot just how small the nurses office was here," Maka observed. 

"Yeah, it's a miracle Naigus was able to get anything done here. I had to wait until she was done with all of her patients' treatment plans until I could move in," Crona stated, yawning. 

"Did you not sleep well last night?" Maka asked. 

"Not really. I haven't had to get up this early in a long time." 

Maka looked over to the clock on the wall. It was 5:45 AM. 

"Did Naigus leave a lot of supplies?" she inquired. 

Crona was investigating the drawers. "It seems like it. I won't have to restock for a while," they replied, noting the abundance of syringes and gloves, among other things. 

Maka opened the box of decorations, pulling out dark blue tissue paper for the cork board. "Now we can start on decorations since we don't have to worry about organizing supplies," she noted aloud. 

Crona put the box of supplies away in the bottom cabinet. After a little while all the decorations had been used up. 

"This barely looks like a nurse's office anymore..." Crona mused aloud. 

Maka looked over at the clock. It was 7:53 AM. "Classes start in seven minutes!" she exclaimed. 

"I've gotta get to my classroom! But I'll see you at lunch, ok?" she said, bidding Crona goodbye. 


	6. Chapter 6

Maka stood at the front of her classroom. "Is everyone aware of the original purpose of the D.W.M.A.?" she asked. 

"To educate Weapons and Meisters?" one student from the back row answered. 

"Yes, but not quite. The D.W.M.A. was founded in order to train Meisters and Weapons to hunt Kishins, corrupted humans whose souls have become corrupted as well," Maka explained. "There are a lot of myths about Kishins and the process of Kishinization, which I will be dispelling today. So what are some things you've heard about Kishins?" she continued. 

"It's irreversible!" 

"It's destiny!" 

"Kishins are evil from birth!" 

"Ok, ok, that's enough answers for now. Once someone is a full-fledged Kishin, it is irreversible. However, nobody is 'destined' to become a Kishin, and it's nobody's destiny, either," she said. 

"Professor Albarn, how does someone actually become a Kishin?" a student shouted from the left side of the room. 

"That's a very good question! Kishinization happens when someone eats a certain amount of regular human souls." 

"How many souls?" the same student asked. 

"It's not the same number for everyone. If someone truly wants to become a Kishin for whatever reason, it'll take less. If someone is more reluctant to become one, then it'll take more. That being said, if anyone eats enough human souls they'll eventually become a Kishin no matter what," Maka articulated. The students continued to ask questions and Maka continued to answer. 

"Can Kishinization be interrupted?" someone asked while Maka was turned around writing on the chalkboard. 

"Of course!" Maka replied, turning around. "It can be interrupted and reversed if it hasn't been completed yet. In fact, my dear friend, Crona, who recently started as the school nurse, was undergoing the process of Kishinization when we were your age!" she said. 

"Why did they want to become a Kishin?" someone in the front row asked. 

"They didn't want to, and that's all I'll say about their situation for now. If you want to know more you should ask them!" Maka responded. "Let's move on to a broader topic: types of souls," she continued. She drew a long horizontal line on the chalkboard. "Imagine on the right end of the soul spectrum are Kishins: full-fledged Kishins have evil souls that cannot be healed," Maka explained, writing "Kishin" on the right end of the line. "And let's say that in the middle are ordinary human souls," she continued, writing "human" in the middle. "Does anyone know what type of soul goes on the left end of this line?" Maka asked. 

Nobody responded. 

"That's fine, it's not common knowledge," she said. 

"On the left end of this line are Grigori Souls. Has anyone heard of Grigori Souls before?" 

Nobody raised their hand. 

"As I said earlier, it's not common knowledge. Grigori Souls are the exact opposite of Kishin Souls, except people are born with Grigori Souls and Kishin Souls are developed over time. To be transparent, I have a Grigori Soul! I found out when I was around your age from Professor Stein." 

"How?" someone inquired. 

"It was after a particularly intense battle- my soul had a cleansing and healing effect on someone which nobody has witnessed in a very long time, as Grigori Souls are truly one in a million! However, there's one more type of soul we need to put on this line, in between a human soul and a Kishin soul. These souls will often be purple in color, a mix between the natural blue of a human soul and the neon red of a Kishin souls," she continued to explain. 

* * *

The lunch bell had rang, and Maka was on her way to the teacher's lounge after answering one last question and summarily dismissing her class. She sat down with Black*Star, Tsubaki, and Crona. "Hey guys!" Maka greeted. 

Tsubaki and Crona said hi back, but Black*Star was busy stuffing his face. 

"How has your class been so far today, Tsubaki?" Maka inquired. 

"Oh, it's been nice! Looks like Black*Star's rushed lesson plan is actually going to work," she answered. 

"I haven't had any real patients yet. The other day a kid came in and needed a band-aid but nothing's been more serious than that," Crona stated. 

"Yeah, The Academy is a lot calmer since we were students here." 

"That's nice, I think. I wouldn't wish the stress of our experience on any of these kids," Tsubaki said. 

"AGREED!" Black*Star shouted in between bites of rice. 

* * *

Crona stood in their office later that day, dusting the filing cabinets. 

"Nurse Gorgon?" a small voice asked. 

Crona turned around. "What's the matter?" they asked. 

The student said they had a cut. Crona sanitized the wound and wrapped it in gauze. "Is it true that you used to be a Kishin?" they asked while Crona was cutting the gauze. 

"Uh..." 

"Professor Albarn told us so." 

"Kind of? I was almost one, but not quite. She knows that, she was there. So I don't think she told you that I was ever an actual Kishin," Crona gently corrected. 

"Oh, ok," the student replied and left afterwards. 

Crona and Maka met each other in the hallway before they left to walk home. 

"Did you teach about Kishins today?" Crona inquired. 

"Yeah, why do you ask?" 

"I had someone from your class with a nasty paper-cut come in, and they asked me if I was ever a Kishin." 

"Oh! I just told them that you were almost one, and that if they wanted to know more they should talk to you about it!" Maka explained. "I never meant to make you uncomfortable," she continued. 

"It's fine! I was just wondering," Crona explained. They looked down at Maka, smiled, and fought the urge to wrap their arm around her. 

* * *

"We're home!" Maka called out. 

There was no answer. 

"I guess he's with Kid again this evening," Crona surmised. 

"It's so weird...we're all at The Academy except Soul. I guess I should probably try to figure out what he's doing with himself these days besides the Patreon. I don't want him sitting here at home doing nothing by himself." 

"Well, he's probably with Kid right now, so I don't think he's lonely per se," Crona said. 

"I need to quit worrying about people," Maka said. 

"Soul's probably the last person you need to be worrying about in our group of friends." 

"Why?" Maka asked. 

"I mean...we all have our issues," Crona deflected. They had only said that to comfort Maka. 

"That's true," said Maka. "Well, I have homework to grade..." she continued. 

"I'll leave you to that." 

Maka watched Crona leave to go to their room, and she turned her attention back to her homework. If she were to be honest with herself, she wanted Crona to stay. But if she had asked them to do that she felt like she'd just end up staring at and talking to them the whole time. 


	7. Chapter 7

Maka hugged Crona goodbye. 

"I'll be back in a week," she consoled. 

"The apartment's gonna be so lonely without you guys," said Crona 

"Our flight leaves in an hour. We'd better get going," Soul yawned. 

Soul and Maka waited for Maka's class to arrive at the airport. 

"I can see my reflection in these windows," Soul observed. 

"If they don't start showing up within the next few minutes we need to start searching for them." 

A group of students soon walked in. 

"Hey! Over here!" Maka waved. 

"Flight from Las Vegas to Toulouse, France boarding in thirty minutes at 6:30 AM," a voice announced over the intercom. 

"We'd better get going," Maka said. 

"Soul and I will board first so we can count you all as you board," Maka continued. 

Their luggage went through the scanner. 

"Ma'am, we'll need to confiscate your liquids," the TSA agent said to Maka. 

"...Liquids?" 

"Yes. There's a limit to 3.5 ounces of liquid in your luggage." 

Maka opened her suitcase. 

"That's where it was at," the agent said, pointing. 

"My Yoplait yogurt?" 

"Thank you," the agent said, confiscating the six cups of yogurt. 

Maka hastily zipped up her suitcase and continued to the plane with Soul. "Damn TSA," she muttered. 

"You should be able to buy more in France. Aren't they known for their food or something?" 

"I think every country is known for their own cuisine...and I don't have any euros anyway." Maka counted all her students as they boarded the plane. Upon landing, someone asked if they were going to see the Eiffel tower. "We're not in Paris, we're in Toulouse," Maka had said. 

They caught a bus from the airport. It was a little after 5:30 AM. 

* * *

It was midday in Death City, and Crona was headed back to the apartment for lunch. They had forgotten to pack something this morning. They unlocked the door and walked inside. They were used to being in the empty apartment, more used to it than Maka and Soul at least. They foraged through the fridge and settled on some pre-packaged salad mix. When they were halfway through the salad, they heard a knock at the door. They got up to look through the peephole, only to find Blair. They hesitated for a moment, but eventually opened the door. 

"Hiya Crona! Are Maka and Soul here?" she asked. 

"Uh, no, Maka's class went on a trip to Toulouse this morni-" 

"Aww, that's a bummer!" 

"Yeah, but they'll be back in a w-" 

"Well, I was gonna give them this," Blair said, rifling through her purse. She pulled out several small bags of catnip. 

"Catnip?" Crona asked. 

"Yeah! I had money that I was gonna use to buy you guys something nice...but I spent it all on catnip instead." 

"We don't have a cat." 

Blair swapped out of her human form with a cloud of lavender smoke. 

"You do now! Just keep it here for me for when I visit again, 'kay?" she said. 

"Okay." 

"Seeya!" 

Crona waved goodbye. They shut the door behind them, glancing at the clock. They had to get back to The Academy soon. "Maka, I'm gonna leave the stuff from Blair on the cou-" they called out before realizing they were alone. Crona sat the catnip packets on the counter and put the rest of the salad in the fridge, hoping it would still be edible by the time they got home. Upon making their way back to their office, they ran into Tsubaki. 

"Oh, hi Crona! You weren't at lunch today, are you feeling ok?" she asked. 

"I...have been feeling a little off today, but that's just because Maka and Soul left for Toulouse this morning," they explained. 

"I understand. Black*Star and I have our class trip to Vietnam planned in March, and I know Liz will miss me dearly. I know I missed her when she was in Russia with Patty and Kid a while back." 

"Oh, well, there's nothing like that between Maka and I." 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to imply anything. Class is starting in a few minutes though, so I should get going," Tsubaki said before waving goodbye. 

Crona walked back to their office, thinking that they didn't really mind the idea of Tsubaki, or anyone, assuming that there was something like that between Maka and them. 

* * *

Maka and Soul settled into their hotel room. 

"Hey, do you mind if I FaceTime Crona before we go to bed?" Maka asked. 

"No; go ahead." 

Maka sat up on her bed and called Crona. 

"Oh, hey Maka! What time is it there?" they answered. 

"Almost 7 AM," Maka replied, followed by a yawn. 

"I'd be tired too. Did everyone behave on the flight?" 

"Yep! My class is so well behaved. So are all the other classes, actually. Even Black*Star's! Wish I could say the same about our class when we were their age." 

"Blair stopped by today," Crona said matter-of-factly. 

"How did that go?" 

"She...gave us a bunch of catnip to keep for her when she visits. She had money for a gift but spend it on catnip instead," they explained. 

"I should've guessed." 

"Oh! Someone's coming in, I gotta go now. Bye, Maka." 

"Bye!" Maka sighed and flopped down onto her pillow. She turned the lights off on her side of the room and went to sleep, not even bothering to change into her pajamas. Their alarm went off at noon. Soul was more hesitant to get out of bed, like always. As per the schedule Maka could only blame herself for making, the class was supposed to meet in the hotel lobby at 1 PM so they could go get lunch and start discussing Kishin hunting that evening. According to the clock widget on her phone, it was 4 AM there in Death City. Calling Crona was out of the question. But no matter; she had class to teach. She met her class downstairs in the lobby, Surprisingly, all of them were present. 

"You guys are faring better than Soul right now..." Maka observed, glancing at Soul, who was standing with his eyes half-lidded. 

"Must be nice to be young and full of energy," Soul griped. 

"We're only 21! And studies show that teenagers actually need more sleep than adults," Maka chided. 

"Professor? Are we getting lunch?" a student asked. 

"Yes! Follow me," Maka answered, directing everyone to the hotel's café. 

"Have you talked to Kid any today?" Maka asked, trying to make conversation over lunch. 

"Nah. I know he's busy." 

Maka felt a pang of guilt. Everyone was busy, duh! Including Crona, who she'd been bothering yesterday...or last night. This morning, whatever. 

"Crona's busy too. I shouldn't have called them when we got here last night." 

"Listen, keep your mind off that for today. They'd be happy to talk to you no matter what. I know you know that." 

"You're right. I just- I don't know, I've kind of just felt...empty, I guess? Since leaving yesterday." 

"You seemed fine on the plane." 

"Well, since we got to the hotel; whatever." Maka was poking at her crepes, and remembered that The Academy was generously funding 100% of this trip's expenses. "Aw geez, I need to actually eat these before they go cold," she whispered aloud to herself. Later on, the class had congregated outside a church near the hotel. 

"I know it sounds stereotypical, but Kishins usually come out at night," Maka explained. Soul promptly transformed into a scythe. "None of you need to transform into your weapon forms. For tonight you're only supposed to observe. There will be some more advanced stuff that'll go over your head; that's normal. Just focus on the basics." 

After waiting an hour or so, a few students had become impatient. 

"Ah. There's one down there," Maka announced, pointing to the end of the street. "As I said earlier, you all are supposed to watch. Don't interfere, no matter what happens. Understood?" 

"Understood," the class responded. 

Maka charged at the Kishin, who the class was surprised to find mostly looked human. With a very skilled swipe of Soul's blade, the physical form of the Kishin dissipated, and a neon red soul was left floating in the air. Soul transformed back into a human, grabbing it. 

"I didn't expect it to look...so human," one student mused aloud. 

"From afar they look mostly normal. But the closer you get, the more...twisted they look," Maka said. 

Soul grabbed the Kishin's soul and swallowed it without a second thought. 

"I was kind of expecting you to tell them about eating souls!" Maka complained in a whisper, nudging Soul. 

"Oh, right. Well, they work like food. But you can't really chew them. Any more questions?" 

The class was silent. 

"Not even one?" Maka asked. "Ok, well...let's get back to the hotel. If you're too tired to eat dinner that's fine," Maka continued. Her class had pretty much all went to their rooms. "Soul, I'm going to the store for some yogurt. You want anything?" 

"Nah," Soul replied, scrolling on his phone. "But when did you get any euros?" 

"I got some Euros from Lord Death. He allocated some for me last night, but I don't think yogurt was what he had in mind..." Maka explained. 

"Well, just be safe. We don't need you getting trafficked in a foreign country." 

"If you were that concerned about me, you could stand to accompany me, y'know," Maka retorted. 

"Fine." 

* * *

After getting out of the taxi, Maka and Soul entered the french grocery store. 

"Let me get out this French 101 pamphlet Lord Death gave us..." Maka said, fishing through her purse. With the help of the pamphlet, they were able to locate the section with the yogurt. "Yoplait, Yoplait, Yoplait..." Maka muttered to herself, scanning the different packages of yogurt. 

"Why's it matter if it's Yoplait? Yogurt is yogurt," Soul asked. 

"It's about familiarity and trust," Maka huffed, rolling her eyes. 

"What's going on with you? Why're you so moody tonight?" 

"I'm not." 

"Yes, you are." 

"I'm not!" Maka whisper-yelled. 

"Yes, you are. Do you want to call Crona?" 

"What I _don't_ want to do is bother them at work." 

"If you don't want to talk about it then let's just get the damn yogurt and get out of here so we can go to bed," griped Soul. 

* * *

"Well, honestly I felt kind of disrespected!" Maka said, standing next to the lamp in their hotel room. 

"What? How? I said everything they needed to know about eating souls. They're gummy and you eat them. What else is there to say?!" 

"It wasn't the information, it was the attitude! You don't really want to be here, do you?" 

"I was honest with you from the start, Maka. I told you I didn't want to be a teacher." 

"And you're not! But you're my partner and I need you here so my students can learn. We have an even split of Meisters and Weapons in this class, you know that! If you weren't here, then what would you be doing with yourself? Laying on the couch all day? Doing one commission every few months?" Maka ranted. 

Soul didn't say anything to that. 

"You know, when Crona and I are upset with each other we can actually talk instead of them just giving me the cold shoulder," she continued. 

"Why didn't you just bring them along?" 

"I needed my weapon students to learn about eating souls. Crona doesn't like doing that due to their past experiences." 

"There isn't much to learn about eating souls. Don't eat human ones, only eat Kishin ones. Only eat souls if you're a weapon. That's literally it. Why overcomplicate things? Besides, if you brought Crona y'all could've had a honeymoon," Soul retorted. 

"What are you implying?" 

"C'mon. You two have been obsessed with each other since we were 14. Everyone knows except for you guys." 

Maka was speechless. With a flippant wave of her hand and a groan, she walked out onto the room's balcony. Sitting down, she looked at the city lights. 

"What Soul said was true..." she muttered to herself. She remembered that time when she almost told Crona she loved them. But that didn't mean anything, right? Yeah ok, so what if her and Crona were obsessed with each other? So what if Maka spent all her time thinking about Crona? Why does it matter if Maka felt deeply, deeply uncomfortable at the prospect of getting married due to her parents yet was still willing to make an exception if she could marry Crona? 

Yikes. 

"How am I gonna face them now?" Maka whispered to herself. Tears fell, and the lights from the city faded into obscurity. 


	8. Chapter 8

"We're home," Maka called out as she opened the door to their apartment. It was a little past midnight. As per usual, Soul retreated to his room. Crona came running to the door, immediately giving Maka a hug. This time, the weight of Crona's chin on the top of her head, and the hyper-awareness of their hand on her back and her hand on theirs made her nervous. Maka pulled away slowly so as not to raise any suspicion.

"You must've been busy those last few days!" Crona commented. 

"Yeah, you could say that...sorry about not calling you." 

"It's fine! I understand. Being a teacher is a lot of work." 

"Mhmm," replied Maka. She looked down at the beige carpet, not being able to stomach the thought of looking at Crona in their face, not with knowledge that could recontextualize their entire relationship. 

"Is there something wrong?" Crona asked. 

"Honestly, there's something I should talk to you about. It's nothing bad just...I guess I just want you to know," Maka said, sitting down on the couch. 

"Is this something I need to sit down for?" 

"Maybe, yeah," Maka suggested, rubbing her forehead. Crona sat down. 

"When I was in France with Soul, I kind of had...an epiphany, I guess you could say." 

"About what?" Crona inquired. 

Maka visibly cringed. 

"Let me back up. Ok, so I'm a lesbian, right?" 

"Yeah," Crona affirmed. 

"Ok, and even though I am one, I never really had any intense crushes, right? Like, when I first met Tsubaki all those years ago I thought she was really pretty, which is what made me realize that I'm gay, but I kind of just went on with my life and thought nothing of it. I was always absorbed in my studies, and that distracted me from certain personal issues. Like the dysfunction in my family." 

"Right." 

"Well, and one night while we were in France Soul helped me realize something --" 

"Maka, you're rambling," Crona pointed out. 

"Right," Maka took a deep breath. "Basically what I'm trying to say is that I think I'm in love with you," she blurted out with her eyes screwed shut. 

"Oh. Well, I shouldn't be surprised to hear that. We've been obsessed with each other since we met like seven years ago." 

Maka slowly and hesitantly opened her eyes. "Soul said the same thing," Maka sighed. 

"You were the first friend I ever had in my entire life. If I never met you, I don't even want to think about what my life would be like now," Crona smiled. 

"You're not mad at me though, right?" 

"No, not at all. I think I feel the same way, to be honest. The other day I ran into Tsubaki at The Academy and I told her I had been feeling weird since you and Soul left for France. She started talking about how she missed Liz when she was in Russia that one time, and then I got defensive and said 'oh but there's nothing like that between me and Maka,' and then she apologized and left for class," explained Crona. 

"Remember that time Soul was with Kid and you stayed up waiting for him to get home?" Maka asked. 

"Yeah." 

"Well, that night before I went to bed, I almost told you I loved you," Maka confessed. 

"You should've just said it!" they said, giggling. 

"Yeah, that should've been a MAJOR sign," Maka agreed. 

* * *

Maka and Crona had decided to get out of the apartment. Maka was dealing with jet lag and Crona didn't feel tired at all. At nearly 3 AM, the streets in Death City were mostly empty but convenience store and bar lights persisted in lighting up the city. They had aimlessly walked around the city for a little under an hour, talking about and to each other, before stopping at a convenience store for some beverages. They exited the convenience store, with Maka holding the door for Crona. 

"Do you feel that?" Maka asked abruptly. 

"Feel what?" 

"I...I think there's a Kishin around here," Maka explained. 

"We're not too far from the apartment -- do you want to just keep walking?" 

"Sure." 

They kept walking, but the feeling never left Maka. 

"I think it's following us," she whispered to Crona. No sooner than that sentence left her mouth, the Kishin dived off of the top of a lamp post, tackling Maka. Her glass jar of Kiwi Strawberry Snapple shattered on the concrete sidewalk. 

"Maka!" Crona cried out. Maka tried to attack the Kishin with her soul wavelength, but she couldn't muster the fantastic lightning bolt-like strikes that Black*Star and Stein could. Hers registered as mere tickles. Crona drew their blade of black blood, charging at the Kishin. Before they could try to swipe at it, it scurried onto the top of a storefront's awning with Maka in tow. It was now out of Crona'a reach. They sliced a small, shallow cut on palm of their left hand, sending needles of blood towards the Kishin, which they hit. It dropped Maka, sending her falling off the awning. She landed directly on her right knee with a sharp, loud crack. Maka screamed in pain, louder than she had been screaming before. Crona charged at the Kishin again, this time slicing cleanly through its midsection. A neon red soul hovered in place of its body. 

* * *

Maka awoke in a room with a curtain surrounding her. She layed in a twin bed, fitted with white sheets. 

"Is-is this the nurses' office?" she mumbled to herself. She tried sitting up, only to quickly be met with shooting pains up her right leg. "Ugh," she huffed. She suddenly realized her hair was tangled and matted and she was still wearing the clothes from last night. Crona entered through the curtain. 

"Oh, you're awake! I brought you some clean clothes, a hairbrush, and some other stuff. You can go home tomorrow," they explained. 

"What's going on with me?" 

"That Kishin broke your right leg. I fixed you up with a green cast last night." 

Maka looked at the clock. It was 5:38 PM. 

"Wait, today was a Monday, right? Who taught my class today?" 

"Who do you think?" Soul asked sardonically, walking in. 

Maka looked down. "Sorry, I know you would've rather not..." she apologized. 

"Hey, it's fine. You were in no condition to teach this morning," Soul reassured. Kid soon walked in after him, and reached for Soul's hand. 

"Heya Maka! I heard something happened, so I brought you some Advil!" Black*Star yelled, running into the room. 

"Oh, well, Black*Star, I'm the nurse and I already gave her some stronger pain medicine," Crona said. 

"Oh and Tsubaki baked a cake for you, she's bringing it around sometime soon," said Black*Star, shoving the Advil bottle back into his pocket. 

"This type of incident is exactly why father and I decided that students will no longer be engaging with Kishins on their own," Kid sighed. "It will set a good example for the student body. If a teacher can get caught off guard and injured like this, then Kishin hunting is no task for a student," he continued. 

"Hi, Maka! I hope I'm not too late," Tsubaki announced, carrying a cake through the door, with Liz and Patty behind her. Tsubaki cut the cake, giving the first slice to Maka. "Do you want to share?" she asked. 

"Sure," Maka replied. Tsubaki proceeded to cut everyone a slice. 

"So, when can she go home?" Soul asked Crona. 

"Tomorrow, soon after she wakes up," they answered. 

"Oh that reminds me! I brought a Sharpie for us to all sign Maka's cast with!" Patty announced, rushing over the Maka's bedside and popping the cap off. Soon enough, a very large and jet black "Patty Thompson" was plastered across Maka's cast. The signatures of the others were soon to follow. 

* * *

It was a while after everyone had left. The clock read 10:47 PM. 

"Do you want me to stay here with you tonight?" Crona asked. 

"Honestly, yeah. I don't want to be here alone," Maka admitted. 

"Good thing there's another empty bed here," Crona laughed nervously. Maka smiled "One more question: do you want crutches or a wheelchair? I need to go ahead and put the request in." 

"Crutches, I guess. I don't think we'll be able to get the wheelchair through the door to the apartment. Speaking of that, I think maybe I should persuade Kid to bring up Death City's accessibility problem to Lord Death..." 

"You can worry about that when you're better," said Crona. 

* * *

The next day, Crona helped Maka out of bed and to their apartment. She helped Maka set up in the living room, with a blanket and pillows to elevate her leg. 

"I love you," Crona told Maka while gently patting her leg. 

"I love you too." 

A few minutes later, Soul came home. 

"How was my class today?" she asked. 

"Good. They're all way better behaved than we were at their age," he answered. 

"I'm gonna get another pillow," Crona said, going to their room. It was at that moment Soul speedwalked over to Maka. 

"So, are you and Crona-" 

"Yes. We're together now. Thanks for helping me realize," Maka said. 

Soul gave her a thumbs up and smiled. 

* * *

By the time Maka's leg had healed, it was right around Valentine's day. 

"Are you and Crona doing anything for Valentine's day?" Soul asked. 

"No, at least I don't think so? We haven't really talked about it. Are you and Kid?" 

"Yeah. I'm taking him to Applebee's." 

"I guess I need to ask them if they even want to do anything in the first place. Oh, and thanks for coming to school with me to talk to my weapon students about --" 

"It's fine; I don't mind. I'm sorry I made you feel like I didn't care about your work a few months ago," Soul apologized. They were getting ready to pass the nurse's office. "Hey, I'm gonna go find Kid. See you at home later," Soul said. 

"Later!" said Maka. "Crona? Are you ready to go home?" 

"Yeah," they said, straightening some papers. 

When they were about two thirds of the way to the apartment, Maka asked "do you want to do something for Valentine's day?" 

"I haven't thought about it that much, honestly. I never saw my mom or anyone else celebrate it growing up." 

"Yeah, I should've guessed that." 

"Do you want to?" 

"I'm indifferent." 

"I see," Crona said. 

February 14th approached at the speed of light. Maka was in the nurse's office with Crona after classes had ended for the day. Soul was on his way to Kid's house. Maka was sure that Tsubaki and Liz were doing something. Meanwhile, here Maka and Crona were sitting in their office laughing about the episode of _Sex Sent Me to the ER_ they both watched on TV last night. 

"I know we said we weren't going to do anything special for Valentine's day, but I have something for you, Maka. Would you close your eyes?" 

"Yep," she said, closing them. She heard Crona shuffling around the room. 

"Alright, you can open them now!" they said. 

Maka opened her eyes to see Crona holding out a RingPop. She took it, watching Crona unwrap their own. 

"I know RingPops are kind of silly, but I thought you'd like them better than a real one," they commented. 

The realization hit Maka like a ton of bricks. 

"Maka, will you marry me?" Crona asked. 

"Oh! Uh, I guess so!" 

"What's wrong, Maka? Talk to me." 

"It's not that I don't want to, it's just that, well, I grew up with papa cheating on mama all the time and so I kind of always thought marriage was fake? I don't know." 

"Hey, you know I won't cheat on you like your dad did with your mom. I'd never do that to you, Maka." 

"I know, it's just...hard," Maka lamented. 

"You can take some time to think about it," they reassured. 

"Actually, yes, I do want to marry you. You're right; I don't expect you to cheat. Therapy is free in Death City, we can make an apointment to work out these issues!" 

"You did a complete 180 there," Crona noted. 

"Overall, I'm happier now than I've ever been!" 

They scheduled the wedding for June. It was a small wedding held in the Death City courthouse. Soul, Kid, Tsubaki, Liz, Patty, and Black*Star were there. The ceremony was short and sweet, with custom written vows. Afterwards, they all went to the local pizza parlour for dinner. Everyone was dressed casually enough that thankfully none of them were bombarded with questions. 

That night, while sitting on the sofa, they decided to make an important phone call. Crona looked up the number, and Maka dialed. 

"Death City couples therapy. How may I help you?" the receptionist answered. 

"My partner and I would like to schedule an appointment," Maka spoke into the speaker, holding Crona's hand. 


End file.
